Prior to my first oil change in my 06 HCH I averaged 44 MPG. I had the first oil change done at around 5,000 mi and immediately saw my mpg tank to the low to mid 30's???

I had the service performed by a dealer in Virginia where I was working. When I returned home to New York I stopped by the dealer where I purchased the car to see if they had an answer for the drop in mpg and they suggested the dealer that performed the service used the wrong grade oil. So, I had the oil changed a second time and saw my mpg climb back into the low 40's for a week or two. Now I'm back in VA and my mileage has dipped back down. This time to 35 - 37 MPG. I use the air conditioner regularly as I can't stand heat, but I did the same in NY when I was getting mid 40's. I'm guessing break in oil is considerably lighter in weight than even the zero weight that's used post break in but I thought MPG was supposed to improve as break in progresses???

Also, I get my best MPG by far when on the highway (low 40's). But MPG tanks when in the city with stop and go. I thought hybrids were supposed to me more efficient in the city which is why EPA estimates for the HCH and Prius are higher for city than hwy. What am I missing? Will my mpg ever recover? Could it be a Virginia thing? It is 10 degrees warmer here but could that account for 5 - 6 MPG? Also, if heat was the issue I guess all HCH owners south of Virginia would be up in arms over their MPG. Any thoughts?

 

Sorry to hear about the oil change snafu. What amazes me the most is that the required oil specification is clearly visible on the oil cap itself. To re-fill it with an alternate oil specification is simply an act of extreme neglect by the service technician.

Now, with regards to your fuel economy claims. Yes, they are low. I drive 100% in the city and I am more than happy with my 06 HCH's milleage, but I had to change. As many on this forum will claim: The owners of hybrid vehicles must have as much of a breakin period as what is expected from their vehicles.

That means changing one's driving style a little and taking advantage of the intrumentation and general attributes that are typical of these types of vehicles.

Without going into too many details and repetition of much of what has been said in these forums (if you care to make a search), I would instead recommend you read the following excellent articles.

Wayne's article on beating the EPA

Tarabell's article on the HCH2

These articles can give you some valuable hints on how to properly drive your hybrid vehicle. The amazing thing is that many of these hints will also work wonders on non-hybrids as well.

To top it off, please search and read through the many excellent threads on this forum. It is filled with awesome advice and insight that is simply hard to match.



Cheers and welcome to the forum;


MSantos

 

I concur w/ MSantos. Driving a hybrid is like "teaching" your Palm how to read your handwriting. (It's you that has to learn!)

Also, Tarabell's detailed instructions helps tons, err... miles! Once I figured out Coasting/Gliding and EV mode, I saw a big change in MPG, we went from 35-40mpg driving it 'just like any car', to 48-50mpg in just one tankful.

My 2¢ free of charge.

 

So, I read Tarabell's article and tried a few of the suggestions on my way home from work today.

The easiest thing to do was to keep the revs under 2k. Next, I played with EV-Assist. I wasn't difficult at all to get 1-3 bars of assist with the mpg pegged at 100 while on flat roads. Glide is obviously a breeze while going down hill. I featherd the gas a bit to keep the regen from slowing me down too much while coasting to a stop at lights. After a 13.4 mile trip home from work (no highway, mostly stop and go on local roads during rush hour) my jaw hit the floor when I saw 54.4 MPG. What was interesting is that my battery charge actually increased? I have been hanging low the last few days and the ICE has been forced to run to recharge. I obviously had just been pushing it too hard. I would never believe it if I didn't see the results for myself. WOW.

So, guess I'll be driving like a little old lady from now on

The ironic thing is it was actually nice to take my time for a change. Seems like a win win if I can get that kind of mileage while obeying the speed limit at the same time. I think highway driving will be more challenging though. Now I see how the city MPG can be better than hwy.

Thanks for links! I was bummed out with my mpg as of late. Now, at least I know it wasn't the car. I just need to learn how to drive all over again.

 

Actually, I hate to challenge your assertion but - as many will agree - the Civic Hybrid will give much better mileage on the highway (and freeways) than on a stop-and-go city environment. Traditionally, the Toyota Prius is the one that gets better milleage in the city while the Civic appears more efficient on the highway.

The very few times I ventured onto a highway with my HCH2 I got some amazing milleage that simply dwarfed my city milleage. Too bad for me that those were just very short stints but still on some highway segments I got up to 63 mpg. Some folks consistently get awesome milleage acquired mostly on long highway commutes.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

The reason I would think you'd better with the HCH in the city is because I can't see keeping the revs under 2k on the hwy. Been playing around a bit and it seems the 2k rpm thing is huge. I've really been tring to keep the revs under 1,500. Also, speaking from experience I haven't done better than 50 on the hwy, but then again I tend to go 65-70 mph. Maybe I'll slow it down a bit and see what happens. I'ts hard to go 60 mph when you have 450 miles to cover. I think the 45 min I save going 70 may be worth the extra gallon of gas

 

I drive mostly Hway between 55 & 60 mph, and once at cruising speed it is quite
easy to keep the rpm around 1800. Most all my most recent tanks avg. 60mpg and
above, the advantage of hwy driving with minimal use of AC.

 

Do you mind telling me what dealer in VA you used? I'd just like to keep my eyes open if I have to use them someday.

Glad you got your mileage thing sorted out, they sell a lot of 10% ethanol gas in Northern VA - will even that small amount of ethanol make a noticeable change in FE?

 

I used Pearson Honda located at 7450 Midlothian Turnpike in Richmond. Went to West Broad Honda first and they wanted $60.00 for a hybrid oil change because of the "special oil".

Pearson charged $29.00. I made sure they were aware it was a hybrid and the service guy said they eat the additional cost of the higher priced oil used in the hybrid as an accommodation to hybrid owners? I think at the end of the day they may have just used regular oil given the way my HCH responded to the change. Can't say what oil was used for sure though as I was not there to see them open each quart. My dealer in NY charged me $45.00 because of the zero weight oil. Can't see how Pearson can charge $29.00.

I wonder what the results would have been if I applied my new driving techniques with the oil that Pearson put in. Guess I'll never know. However, the recommendation of the Pearson service guy was "drive the HCH like you stole it because you'll get more assist from the electric motor and therefore use less gas". I had better common sense than to try that.

What are you guys paying at the dealer for an oil change?

Typically, I prefer to change my own oil. At least that way you know what you're getting and know that it's done right. Can't see me fitting under the HCH though.

I once had a Jiffy Lube put 8 quarts of oil in a Jeep Grand Cherokee I owned. Glad I checked the oil level before driving.

When I do my own oil changes on my other cars I use Mobil 1. Honda dealers only seem to have the Honda zero weight oil which some dealers say may be a mix of Mobil 1 synthetic.

 

You are right. It is hard to go faster than 60mph and expect the rpm to stay below 2000. In any case, at speeds higher than 60mph your efficiency will be dramatically affected regardless of which mass production vehicle you drive.

For most it is matter of choice and opportunity. Some will even say it is also a matter of safety because you are better off keeping up with the speeding traffic rather than becoming a highway hazzard.

Cheers;

MSantos